Piraeus is the biggest port in the Balkans and one of the biggest in the Mediterranean, a gateway from Europe to Africa and Asia, a bustling crossroads of people and civilizations.
Piraeus began to grow in the years after the establishment of the modern Greek state, which was characterized by intense building and cultural activity.
The first human habitation in the area is lost in the depth of prehistory when the first settlement was created on the site of present-day Kastella. The astute Greek political figures of antiquity were aware of the strategic importance of Piraeus.
Themistocles moved the port of Athens from Phaleron to Piraeus and built fortifications which enabled him to use it as a port for warships. Cimon later continued the works of Themistocles and the famous long walls uniting Athens with Piraeus were completed in the time of Pericles in 456 BC. In the years following the Peloponnesian War, Piraeus, as Athens’ port, shared its fate.
The long walls which had taken so long to build were laid waste by the Spartans, who celebrated their victory with destructive fury.
The historical evolution of Piraeus can be traced in its Archaeological Museum exhibiting important finds from the Classical and Hellenistic periods. In addition, Piraeus boasts many monuments worth seeing, beginning with the Electric Railway Station, a reference point for any visitor. One immediately notices the combination of functionality and aesthetics of the station, which is an important example of Neoclassical architecture.
The Church of Ayia Triada, the city’s Metropolis, reddish in color with an elaborate dome, the Church of Agios Spiridon, the modern architecture of the Piraeus Port Authority exhibition center, the Church of Ayios Nikolaos, the Akti Miaouli, well known to frequent travelers to the Greek islands and finally the Akti Xavierou, lined with the modern office buildings of shipping companies, are among the sights worth seeing in and around the harbor of Piraeus.
More impressive may be the Piraiki area south of the main harbor, where ruins of the long walls have been preserved. The lovely harbor of Zea, one of the biggest marinas in the Mediterranean and site of the city’s Maritime Museum, picturesque Passalimani, and above all Mikrolimano and Kastella hill offering a unique view and marvelous Neoclassical homes, are not to be missed.
